Score-sheet for bowling-alleys.



No. 774,906t V PATENTED Nov. 15, 1904. G. W. BENNETEUM. SCORE sEEEE EOEBOWLING AELEYS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12. 1904.

. NIO MODEL.

Perm Bowling Alleys.

,/Vme/ 2 34'6 70.910

fLzLsLzLeLaLfLzLJLIL 0 w 0a C" Co ha N Patented Novembei1 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. BENNETHUM, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

SCORE-SHEET Fon BOWLING-ALLYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,906, dated November15, 1904.

Application filed J'uly l2, 1904. Serial No. 216,224. (No model.) I

To @ZZ whom it 7nctyconcern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BENETE- y primarily, by the arrangement oftheir names in a vertical column or row upon the scoresheet, and thescores made by each player in successive frames are recorded inscoreblocks arranged in horizontal rows in linewith each players name.Commonly, at least, two alleys are employed, and where a considerablenumber of players engage in the same game it is advantageous to employthree or more alleys, so that the interval of time between frames may becorrespondingly reduced and a game (commonly of ten frames) be morequickly completed. It is required, however, that each player play uponthe several alleys (whether two or more) in regular succession, and thisordinarily necessitates constant watchfulness on the part of the playersto prevent the use of the wrong alley by any player at any time, and incase of such misplay confusion is apt to result, and the resumption oforderly play is frequently more or less dificult, the memory of theplayers and the practice of following a certain preceding player upon acertain alley being relied upon to keep up this proper order. Moreover,if any player is for any reason unable to play in proper turn not onlyis orderly procedure made difficult, but the proper alleys upon which tomake the deferred plays can hardly be determined.

The object of my invention is to avoid all troubles, delay, anduncertainty in determining the proper alley upon which any player isrequired to play any of his several frames,

and to accomplish this my invention consists in providing upon thescore-sheet a positive indication of the alley upon which each player isto play each frame of his game, thus eliminating entirely all exerciseof memory or watchfulness on the part of players or director.

The invention is more particularly described in connection with theaccompanying' drawings and is specifically pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 shows a score-sheet embodying my invention, the same beingarranged for athreealley game. Fig. 2 indicates a modification adaptedfor a two-alley game.

The general arrangement of the checkerboard score-sheets indicated issimilar to that commonly used, the vertical rows or columns numbered atthe top 1, 2, 3, 4, &c., indicating the corresponding frames of the gameto be recorded, and the horizontal rows numbered at the left 1, 2, 3, 4,ac., being assigned, respectively, to the several players engaging inthe game, each of whom is thus provided with a separate scoreblock ineach of the several frames.

Where more than two alleys are arranged side by side, they are commonlynumbered successively 1, 2, 3, &c. I

As stated, Eig. 1 shows my improved scoresheet arranged for a threealley game, in which ten different players maybe engaged, as indicated.The first player A will start play on No. 1 alley, the second on No. 2,and the third on No. 3, the fourth following in No. 1, the fifth in No.2, &c., bringing the last player J on No. 1 alley. In each of thescore-blocks in the vertical row or column 1 I provide a mark 1, 2, or3, as the case may be, indicating positively the alley in which theplayers score is to be made for the first frame, and each score-block ofthe succeeding frames is likewise positively marked to indicate theproper alley for use by the player in each of his turns.

all arranged in series of three, (the number of alleys employed)recurring in regular sequence both in the verticalV and horizontal rows,each of said rows, however, starting with a different number of theseries, as shown.

These marks are IOO It will be readily seen that each player is thuspositively and reliably informed as to the particular alley upon whichhe is required t0 play each and every frame of his game, and there is nopossible excuse for any mistake being made, even though he or anotherplayer should have failed to appear in turn. No waiting or loss of timewhatever need be incurred, a delayed player taking the proper alley outof turn withabsolute certainty and without involving` the slightestdanger of confusion or disarrangement in the succeeding frames.

Thile the advantages of my improved scoresheet are most strikinglybrought out by the obvious fact that it makes practicable the use of anydesired number of alleys in a single game without possible trouble,confusion, or loss of time, yet the same advantages are very apparentand very highly appreciated in the ordinary two-alley game, in which itis well known there is very frequent question as to which alley a playeris up on even among regular players.

In Fig. 2 my improved score-sheet is indicated as arranged for atwo-alley game, the distinguishing marks for the separate scoreblooksbeing in this case the letters R and L referring res )ecti 7el f to theright v an l l .s a s and "lei't7 hand alleys of a pair. As shown on aportion of the sheet indicated, it is only essential in a two-alleyscore-sheet to indicate upon every alternate score-block the alley uponwhich the said score is to be made, the intervening unmarked blocksbeing necessarily used for the other alley; but I prefer in all cases tomark each and every individual score-block, which may of course bereadily l done by the same impression that prints the main portion ofthe sheet.

What I claim is- 1. A score-sheet for bowling-alleys having separatescore-blocks thereon for the successive scores of several players, saidscore-blocks being' provided with marks indicating the particular alleyupon which each score is to be made.

2. A score-sheet for bowling-alleys having separate score-blocks for thesuccessive scores of several players, and each score-block thereonprovided with a mark indicating the particular alley upon which thescore to be marked therein is to be made.

3. A score-sheet for bowling-alleys having vertical and horizontal rowsof score-blocks, each row provided with a series of distinguishing marksfor the several alleys to be employed recurring in regular sequence, toindicate the particular alley upon which each score of each player is tobe made. y

4i. A score-sheet for bowling-alleys having a horizontal row of iiguresindicating the several frames to be played, a vertical side row orcolumn for indicating the several players, and alined vertical andhorizontal rows of score-blocks, each row provided with a series ofdistinguishing marks for the several alleys to be employed, recurring inregular sequence, to indicate the particular alley upon which each scoreof each player is to be made.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE W. BENNETHUM.

Witnesses:

FRANK J. REEDY, J. MILTON MILLER.

